1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a continuous processing apparatus for treatment of a knit fabric material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional apparatuses for continuously processing a tubular knit fabric material for dyeing treatment, for example, or for preliminary treatment thereof required before dyeing treatment, are arranged without exception to have the knit fabric material continuously passed through a hygro-thermic treatment steamer in its open state, i.e. in a broad flattened state in carrying out the desired treatment. However, with a tubular fabric material flattened and guided from one guide roll to another within a hydro-thermic treatment steamer during a hygro-thermic treatment process, there are produced folding lines or crease marks on both sides of the flattened tubular knit fabric material and then the edge parts and the middle part of the fabric material cannot be evenly treated with a liquid or with humid heat. Thus, such uneven treatment has been degrading the quality of products obtained through such a treatment process.
Further, with hygro-thermic treatment carried out by allowing a flatly stretched-out tubular knit fabric material to pass through the steamer, the tubular knit fabric material accommodating capacity of the steamer decreases and, in order to allow the humid heat to adequately act on the fabric material, the size of the steamer must be increased to let it have a greater fabric material accommodating capacity. However, increase in the size of the hygro-thermic treatment steamer causes an increase in cost. Transportation and installation of it become not easy. Besides, the quantity of steam and that of a promotor to be used also increase. Therefore, increase in size of the steamer is not desirable in terms of saving resources and energy. The present invention is directed to the solution of these problems.